Thomas c



@eine tatea gaten-t @Hita THOMAS o. Mn'rHEws, OFYATES CITY, ILLINOIS.

Letters .Patent No. 79,372, dated June 30, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEDGE-TRIMMERS.

dige .rlgshult referat tu in that dietsatmt .mit making part nf it: time;

Be it -known that I, THOMAS C. MATHEWS, of Yates City, in the county of Knox, and State' of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Machine for Trimming Hedges; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which? Figure 1 shows a perspective view r i Figure 2 shows a rear end view,

Figure 3 shows a vertical section, aud Figure 4 is a side view with finger-bars and sickIe-bars-removed. The nature of my invention consists in providing a rectangular frame, supported on a revolving axle, the frameA having two upright posts, to which is secured a cross-beam, extending over one of the driving-wheels. To the outer end of'this beam is secured a cast-iron arm, bent downward, and opened at the lower end. This Y. arm has an iron brace in front, attaching its lower end to the frame. Within the space between the end of beam and the curved arm, is a bevelled-c'og wheel, secured to a. shaft, which .is coupled by cogs to a spur-wheel fixed on axle of the driving-wheels. With this bevelled-cog wheel meshes a similar,n wheel, set at right angles thereto, and fixed to a shaft, (having a balance-wheeh) and working in each jaw of the fork of the curved arm, which shaft between the jawsof the fork is bent to forni; a crank, which drives the rods connected to sickle-bars. To the fork-end of the curved arm, a bent finger-bar. (which holdsthe sickle-bar) is attached; it is also attached to a boot, within which revolves an extension of the main axle. The bent finger-bar is designed for cutting one side and lialf the top of a. hedge at the same time, and any inclination ofthese cuts may be obtained by sliding the boot in or out on the axle, by means of a lever attached to cross-beam, and securing the boot in any position by astop reaching through the upper side of boot,'and entering slots or grooves made in the extension of axle. 4

To enable others skilled in the manufacture of such machinery to make and use my invention, I will more H particularly describe its .construction and operation. f

Of any approved kind, I provideetw'o driving-wheels alza-fixed to revolving axle "5. 0n the axle rests, in proper boxing, a rectangular frame, of suitable size and proportion, having strong upright posts on either side of frame. On the upper ends of these posts is secured a cross-beam, c, which extends over o'ne of .the drivingwheels, and to that end is fixed a cast-iron arm, d, having its lower end opened, as shown in iig. el, to receive the crank. This arm has a horizontal brace, e, connected tofrarne. Attached to driving-wheel, as shown in drawings, or iixed to axle b-inside of frame nearly opposite driving-wheel, is a spur-wheel, which meshes with spuregearf, which is fixed to 'a shaft, at outer end of which is fixed the crown-wheelg, working in space between end of beam c and arm d, as shown in iig. 2. Meshing with wheel g, is the bevelled pinion t', which is fixed to a shaft having its.boxing in lower ends offork of arm el, which shaft is bent to form the crank shown in fig. 4. At the outer end of this. shaft is a balance-wheel, g, which aids in overcoming resistance of one or more stalks of unusual size. 'lothe crank are attached the two rods j and Ic, connected with outer ends of sickle-bars. I provide any suitable finger-bar, which is bent near the centre, as desired, and having a short sickle in cach part, and attach the bar at the angle to the lower ends of fork .of arm ci. The lower part of finger-bnr is also. attached, by a casting riveted to bar, to a bolt passing from side to side of the sleeve Z. This boot permits the extended axle to work or-rcvolve within it, and is moved in or out on the axle-,by the lever m, as seen in 2. It is held in any position by means of thestop n, which passes through a niortisc in upper side of boot, and enters any groove made in the axle. The stop is raised by lever o, werkingen lever m, and connected by'red lo. Whenever it is necessary to change the position of the finger-bar because of uncvcnncss of ground, the driver takes hold of levers m and o, and by drawing out the stop n, adjusts the cut of sicklcs as may be desirable. Byiany of' thccommon methods, the spur-wheelf may be thrown out of gear, when passing to or from the hedge.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The curved arm d, to Asupport finger-bar and carry crank-pinion, substantially as shown, as and for the uses and purposes herein set forth.

2. The sleeve Z, eonneeted so :rs to support finger-bor, the stop n, the mortise to admit stop, the grooves in axles b, and the levers m and o, all arranged and in combination.substantially as shown, as and for the uses and purposes herein set forth.

3. The attachment-straps 7 7', fastened to lnger-bar, and pivoted to arm d, near crank-pinion. 4. The arrangement of the crank-connecting rods j and k, the sickles and bent finger-bar, substantially as shown and described.

5. The construction off finger-bar, bent in or near the middle, at any desired ongle, und carrying a. short sickle-bor in each end, substantially as shown.

THOS. C. BATHEWS.

Witnesses:

W. H. HASKELL, JOHN S. FOSTER. 

